We did not expect to leave a soap factory with strong feelings about soap.
Spoiler: we have strong feelings about soap now.
The Herbaria Factory Tour St. Louis offers a behind-the-scenes look at how their small-batch, all-natural soaps are made — and it’s completely free to visit.
Herbaria was one of several stops on a very full day in St. Louis back in August 2022 — we were early in our travels and still in that phase where we said yes to everything. Anheuser-Busch tour? Sure. World’s Largest Chess Piece? Obviously. Chocolate factory? Don’t have to ask us twice. And then someone mentioned a small-batch natural soap company that did factory tours out of their production space on Marconi Ave, and we were in.
The Herbaria Factory Tour
The tour is not a massive operation — and that’s entirely the point. Herbaria started in someone’s kitchen. An actual home kitchen. And while it has grown since then, the production space still has that feeling. A woman walked us through the whole process, and standing in a room with a giant stainless steel vat, a gas range, and pots hanging overhead, it genuinely looked like someone just scaled up their kitchen and kept going.
That’s not a criticism. That’s the whole charm of it.
The smell alone is worth the stop. We’re not going to oversell it — it just smells really, really good in there. Natural herbs, essential oils, whatever was in production that day. You walk in and immediately understand why someone started making soap in their kitchen and couldn’t stop.
What We Bought
We walked out with a Sampler Stack — six bars including Patchouli Orange, Biotherapy Skincare, Evergreen, Lavender Oat Extra Exfoliating, Tea Tree Green Tea, and Eucalyptus Mint — plus individual bars of Patchouli Hemp Seed Oil and French Lavender.
The combinations are what got us. These weren’t your standard lavender-and-done situation. Herbaria does things with herbs that you don’t typically see on a shelf at a big box store, and if you’re someone who actually cares about what goes on your skin, the ingredient list is going to make you very happy.
Is the Herbaria Factory Tour Worth It?
Yes, and it’s free. You’re not going to spend hours here — it’s a small space and a focused tour — but it’s genuinely interesting, the staff knows their stuff, and you will absolutely buy soap on your way out. Plan accordingly.
Herbaria is located at 2016 Marconi Ave, St. Louis, MO. Check their site for current tour availability before you go.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Herbaria Factory Tour St Louis
Where is Herbaria located?
Herbaria is located at 2016 Marconi Ave, St. Louis, MO.
Is the Herbaria factory tour free?
Yes! The tour is free. Your wallet will take the hit in the shop on the way out, but the tour itself costs nothing.
What does Herbaria make?
Herbaria makes all-natural, handcrafted soaps using herbs and essential oils. They have a wide range of scent combinations — including some you won’t find anywhere else.
How long does the Herbaria tour take?
Not long — it’s a small production space, so plan for maybe 20-30 minutes. Short, but worth it.
What else is there to do near Herbaria in St. Louis?
St. Louis is absolutely packed with things to do. On the same day we visited Herbaria, we also hit the Anheuser-Busch brewery tour, the World’s Largest Chess Piece, and the Chocolate! Chocolate! Chocolate! factory. St. Louis rewards the curious.